Setups...

There was never a standard setup for twelve-string guitars. It's unlikely that one could have walked into a music store in the 20's and bought a set of strings for a twelve-string guitar, so the guys who played them just had to wing it, much like they do now. In case you're unfamiliar with the instrument, the twelve-string guitar is typically strung with six pairs of strings, each pair being tuned in unison or an octave apart. The exact combination of unison and octave pairs is a matter of personal preference. The fact that there was and is no standard is one of the things that makes the twelve-string such an intriguing instrument. It invites experimentation and the development of a personal sound.

In the next few pages, I'll share a few different twelve-string setups - the one that I typically use for new guitars and a few others that were used by the great twelve-string guitarists of the past.